Below is an editorial on today's rather lean House session. I think that it's important to point out some of the work we could be doing on a day that the House of Representatives convenes to take up a single item like this Potato Resolution.
There is also a cost to convening the House. Sergeants, clerks, pages all must be on duty when the House is in session, not to mention that each representative had to spend an extra night in a Lansing hotel or make a round-trip from home to sit through this one vote session.
Granted, the speech declaring potatoes as an economical food source was quite inspiring, I'm not convinced that the session itself was all that cost-effective. Here's the article following today's self-indulgent session of the House:
There is also a cost to convening the House. Sergeants, clerks, pages all must be on duty when the House is in session, not to mention that each representative had to spend an extra night in a Lansing hotel or make a round-trip from home to sit through this one vote session.
Granted, the speech declaring potatoes as an economical food source was quite inspiring, I'm not convinced that the session itself was all that cost-effective. Here's the article following today's self-indulgent session of the House:
Dems offer 'potatoes' but where's the meat?
GOP reforms languish in Democrat-controlled House for 3,169 days
While Michigan's jobless rate continues to hover at a nation-leading 15 percent, majority House Democrats today wrapped up a 'long' and 'arduous' week of work on behalf of the people of Michigan with the only item on the day's legislative agenda: a resolution supporting Michigan potatoes.
In addition, as House Democrats continue to turn a deaf ear to the jobs crisis gripping Michigan families, needed common sense government reforms sponsored by House Republicans languish in Democrat-controlled committees. In all, Republican reform proposals have gone 3,169 days without so much as a public hearing.
"We love our potatoes and we love our potato farmers, but where's the meat to go with all these potatoes Democrats keep serving us," asked House Republican Leader Kevin Elsenheimer. "We are in the worst recession since the Great Depression, have a nation-leading unemployment rate, and a budget deficit in the billions. House Republicans are ready and willing to work with the Democrats to move Michigan forward but Democrats need to show us they are willing to seriously consider needed reforms and not just pay us lip service."
Noted state Rep. Pete Lund, R-Shelby Township: "House Democrats are offering us small potatoes when it comes to the reforms we need to move Michigan forward. Michigan has lost 584,460 jobs since Democrats controlled the agenda in Lansing and I can tell you the last thing the people of Michigan expect of us is to waste our time on meaningless resolutions in support of someone's pet project of the day."
Elsenheimer noted there is no shortage of ideas to get Michigan back to work, citing the recent House Republican Jobs Task Force findings, as well as the governor's 29-point reform plan -- many of which long have been on the Republican agenda.
House Republicans have been upfront and public about their proposed reforms and were encouraged when many of their proposals were embraced by Governor Granholm. Yet Republicans are dismayed by the lack of bipartisan cooperation on the part of House Democrats, who have so far refused to consider Republican-sponsored reforms.
This week, House Republicans reiterated their call for reforms and formally asked Democrat committee chairs to hold hearings on their reforms. Below are the reforms which GOP lawmakers have personally called on each committee chair to move:
Republican Government Reforms Days held up in a Democrat-Controlled Committee
Reduce costs by providing state and public employees incentives to retire (Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge: House Bills 5449 and 4813 of 2010, HBs 4005 and 4571 of 2007)
1,122 days without action
Medicaid Inspector General to fight abuse and save taxpayer funding (Rep. Bob Genetski, R-Saugatuck: HB 5542) 120 days without action
Shift to a two-year budget cycle (Rep. John Proos, R-St. Joseph: House Concurrent Resolution 15) 330 days without action
Improving the state budgeting process: (Reps. Bill Rogers, R-Brighton: House Joint Resolution HH, Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive: HJR JJ, and Larry DeShazor, R-Portage: HJR LL)
At least 113 days without action
Increase state employee participation and maintain health care by increasing employee contribution (Reps. Dave Agema, R-Grandville, and Dave Hildebrand, R-Lowell: HBs 5624 and 5638) 79 days without action
Move all teachers to defined contribution plan (Rogers: HB 4527) 345 days without action
Require a complete fiscal analysis of any legislation (Rep. Gail Haines, R-Waterford: HB 5766) 23 days without action
Eliminate lifetime health care for lawmakers (Reps. Marty Knollenberg, R-Troy, Brian Calley, R-Portland, and Jones: HBs 4080, 4133 and 5019 of 2009 and HB 4558 of 2007) [*] 1,039 days before action
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